My first thought on waking, was that I was happy. Not so much because I was living the life of a king (although I wasn't complaining about that), but because I had a reason for living: a mission. It was such a different feeling, having a purpose in life, to waiting around for the COVID restrictions to end. While Greyland was starting in a very difficult situation, I believed I could turn it around.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvA1pbMW8UJ
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzUr63aEjc
For a start, I had to ramp up iron production and correct my earlier mistake. As my first action, I assigned the realm's three iron ingots to the Smithy for more steel pickaxes.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhAawA3Bs6
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHqDhvDKpm
Crucial to my success in this world would be my personal character progression. With some anxiety I called up my character sheet to see if I'd managed to improve it by my efforts of the previous day.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoMMcMDonc
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqTSiTQzuQ
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJSwUE4rOD
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡII2fMw7tJB
Str 7461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWO80P96wZ
Dex 4461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTCd1H96ur
Con 8461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkmzFlD95x
Int 16461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfNyzn93v9
Wis 16461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnA1xY6AkQg
Cha 4461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqRhEM7ZN9
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3bxd0vIQG
Please choose a character archetype:461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHSGkZVcs5
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GCKnkWN6y
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoz5FqhqpH
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdos4FKSzUV
Of course, neither my Strength of Constitution had shifted. I sighed to myself. How many more days of exercise would it take to test whether those stats would rise? Should I give it a week and then give in and choose a Wizard or Healer path? The people who had summoned me here wanted a battlefield leader and my own desire led me to want to be a martial class of some sort. But it would be idiotic to aim for that if I was stuck with these stats.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKPEwXunto
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxAKtuOyz8
Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg83GDxT3QF
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLe631b0Hi
Stats could be worked on. A glow of pleasure rushed through me. Okay, so it wasn't a Fighter stat that had moved, but really, after one day, even if I had focused on Strength, I could hardly have expected to see progress. I had a hunch that the reason I'd seen Charisma move was that it was a lot easier to raise a 3 to a 4 than a 7 to an 8.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FRsoDFwHh
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKxlHtKamk
Following that last thought, I had to admit to myself that it might take months to move Strength to something useful in battle, but even so I decided to take the risk and commit to Fighter. It was time to get going. I missed being the most bad-ass warrior in Storm Wars and couldn't even imagine what it would feel like to be on top of the game be like in a world where it really mattered? Still, it was pointless, counterproductive even, to daydream. There was a mountain to climb. And I hadn't even taken one step yet towards the summit.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sZt4anyVV
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTu4h9P69Sb
I selected Fighter and got a message:461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLI7jlbJNJr
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAj3yXGODfF
Welcome Sean de Courcy, to the path of the Fighter. You have chosen to stand toe to toe with your foes, dealing blows to them and evading their own attempts to harm you. It is a path for the brave and for the resolute. If you are fortunate and progress, in due course you will unlock specialisations within the Fighter class.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9U8JWTr37T
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcKSmOPeTZ
You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSpxznrfjf
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZIaixs0Z3
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0sRzVAsFN
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5VJdqXYdf
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcoMe2R7M6
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONDjBvkXVx
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7deiZ3146H
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjsYBb3jSK
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUUjrpR6Ur
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fG7i6Sdw1
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74FCiOhLKH
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDCF5clk8m
Quite a lot to think about there. And I had to make my choice right away, as the screen couldn't be flicked away in the usual fashion. Generally, I preferred a min-max approach to RPG gaming. It was usually better to be really good at one skill and adapt your strategy to that skill than to have no particular specialism and be somewhat competent at everything. Ideally, I would have had a taste of fighting before make my choice, so as to get a feel for what would be the best skill to invest in. Here, though, there was going to be a lot of guesswork.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wVjGFpsUk
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCrwS93yQk
On the assumption I'd have the support of the high level people who had summoned me, I decided I should focus on attack rather than defence. Back in Storm Wars defence was crucial but here, at the low levels at least, I felt it best to try to rack up experience fast through killing mobs. Lunge appealed most, surely an extra attack and a bit more range on an attack was going to prove useful? When I tried to put my ten points into the skill, however, I got a message.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TEVEmLGyU
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3at6CnzSVF
Skills are capped at Level x 5461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUh6Y7umaeQ
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhA1Wfp8SN
Adding 5 points to Lunge worked. So for my other choice? Was I going to use a shield? Probably but not necessarily. I didn't know what weapons were going to be available to me here. Parry then. While Quick draw had its appeal, it was very situational. Whereas pretty much every fight I was in would involve the opportunity to parry.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzV8e1AorJ
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanse0Hr7Ll
My character sheet now had my class and skills, also, an EXP bar, showing that I needed 100 to get to Level 2 and HP. I had hit points! Not many though. And an armour class that at 0 probably reflected the fact that I had no armour on at all. Even if I did, that poor Dexterity score probably carried a penalty.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGS6QF8tPwt
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSLaDnzG4I
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YTKxPgznt
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtLfShSlDH
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6FxlGBNer
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tZDcZGZP4
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCUIR80Iud
Str 7461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUsQTjdjm4
Dex 4461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4zoysl756
Con 8461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkICOkDOG4
Int 16461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKBVk4LBSR
Wis 16461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9GAJzScQF
Cha 4461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMeLfyrj84
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1Z91bV2OW
Lunge 5461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZOqIDZaZM
Parry 5461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwE7pkfoS8J
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3ShbBUYBC
Exp 5/100461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xg2Py2gij
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZwoIna9jl
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPacsuQndGw
With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsK6ShgbuH7
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlNhATcl7x
If it wasn't for my heavy body, I'd have leapt out of bed with a spring in my step and an eager desire to get going. As it was, I had to lever myself up and then struggle with every single garment before managing to get dressed. It didn't help that I ached all over from yesterday's marching around the barracks square. At last, I was presentable and down I went to breakfast.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FEb6SgYQD
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgumT2TUgE
Today, the castle servants were ready for me and along with a glass of apple juice was a bowl with more apples and a plate with two poached eggs. I felt desperately hungry and was tempted, when a new servant tentatively approached, to ask for more. But I had to get down to a size where armour could fit me and a horse could carry me. So I had to diet. End of. Back home, I had sometimes tried to cut out unhealthy snacks, and managed for a while, before invariably returning to them and sometimes bingeing while hooked up to Storm Wars. Here, I felt differently. Here, getting the king's body into shape was just as important as levelling up and sorting out Greyland's food supply. There was no 'Will I? Won't I?' discussion to be had with myself. It had to be done.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDjOr3IWt5
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2EOuNIWqa
After breakfast, I left the keep and walked slowly in the direction of the barracks. The citizens of the town hurried away from me or redoubled their efforts if they were working. For the first time, I noticed that stored away in the shadowy corner of a large cobbled square was a gibbet and a chopping block. Had my predecessor really executed people by hanging and beheadings? It was not a question I could ask anyone except one of the three who had been there at the summoning.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAXoXJyltB
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavsqcHCI2n
The soldiers were already drilling when I got to the barracks and I was pleased to see archers firing at straw scarecrows. Thirteen, fourteen… yet fifteen. Those were my new recruits. It might have been a dumb move using up all my iron before the steel pickaxes were completed but I was glad to see the archers all the same.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQENSUfILWC
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hcwnD7sON
Carradock was there, marching some foot soldiers back and forth. He passed the duty to one of the men and came over at a brisk walk on seeing me.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUys6xBwi9
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75pUGTp2G1
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2Wy6ypBe8
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWCjMEWM6O
'Stiff, but yes.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzywVrAJZbR
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJMrxg8Gro
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbYZELC7K9
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lTsIIzfRa
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERMnOYaJcU
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJGDvbYqeq
He looked at me expectantly.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4bGAbfSGi
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nqgD4EqcU
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXM3Ytvm00
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KeasIrOdv
Surprise, then caution crossed the trainer's face. 'Not I sire. Skills like what you're talking about are special. You need to talk to someone like Lord Arval.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpI4zYx4yI
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewe6tCBkgd
'Good idea. Send someone to fetch him will you.' As was my nature, I almost added 'please', but no doubt that would be taking my change in character too far.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoi7qSJM3c
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMNl7mB2OL
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6NcU6TIv3
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGBCGbgaIv
'Two questions.' I already felt the need to be economical with my breath. 'Active skills like Lunge, how do I use them? And what's the quickest way for me to level up? Got some giant bats I can kill?'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCSMjC5nYo
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVThvNB3G7p
'Skills? You'll see them as selectable icons when the right conditions are met. I mean when timers are ready; or the right weapon is in hand; or you've moved yourself into the right position. Skills are very experiential. You get to discover them and advance them mostly by practice.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLx086st7yd
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixWMuBWlHj
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozpFrR7sLw
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMljj7gaSh
Lord Arval kept pace effortlessly. 'For levelling up, I think quests. Without access to the menus I can't be exact, but I felt that just by performing chores for the townspeople I became significantly stronger. Perhaps reaching level three or four.' He gave me a sharp look. 'It helps with your reputation with them too.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19JjliHReA
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhGCPXunNn
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXZbmswmpA
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuZcpw2zXb
First checking no one was close enough to overhear us, Lord Arval leaned closer and dropped his voice. 'I'd never disagree with a command of yours, but I was intending to take the new archers down to Three-Ways Fort and check on our defences. I could ask Carlena to show you the easiest town quests?'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2EkIlrySs
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kf6aOlyCa
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFj7SucmaEx
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2f3Vk8hwp
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1Lw6jnVsC
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2xBRv6whw
The laps today were a little easier and even a soft rain didn't deter me. Walking was good for studying the menus too and I drilled down into the kingdom's various options, reading up on descriptions of buildings and balancing their various benefits against the immediate need to solve our food problem and be able to resist an attack if Southway and Trolland continued their alliance.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpU2ILJxXw
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWH0Lftpyem
After I finally completed my sixty laps, I took a salute from Carradock and went back to the keep for a bath and change of clothes. Then I sat in the very large throne in the large hall on the second floor, the solar they called it. Outside, beyond the lead crosses that contained the window glass, the day was still grey. I could have rested there, alone, for some time, but Carlena arrived and waving away the servants who had brought her to me, came over.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibjDtyMPvj
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Z2UvdRPVk
'You wanted me to help with quests?'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTZkaQUvJ8
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2lC1maABQ
'Yes please. I've started as a Fighter but, honestly, I'm not in the shape to hit things yet. So quests are perfect. And Lord Arval said they would level me fast.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlflaAym8h
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9H7El8RnEw
'Yes, they will. At least, they got me to my third spell. After that, you'll need to battle monsters. Also, your combat skills won't increase unless you do.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUoQ76zLnt
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4qAQMLzOs
'Right so, let's go and do some quests.' It was painful, moving again after being seated for a while. But pain meant gain, right? And I had the incentive of levelling up to encourage me.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEAs1UjQnE
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSj3P4NIDhP
'It's been a while since I did these…' She looked thoughtful, long, silver hair tied back so I could see her severe face clearly. 'And try to be more like King Carlos. Everyone is talking about you. About how you've changed.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUxCt3DvE6
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUpA52vCWA
'He was a thug, right?'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRFCV9rtP1
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8mzF6vqgT
'More of a sly creature, like a fox. Watching and waiting … then punishing. Never trusting anyone. You didn't know where you were with him. Not even me, who – forgive the lack of modesty – is the most important person in the kingdom. There was a time when I thought he was going to hang me for treason. Even though that would mean no sorcerer for our battles.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPibAXozfeW
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPozN3U0NId
Having reached the large, double doors Carlena went silent and waited for me to lead her out. From just behind my right shoulder, she muttered directions as we walked down narrow cobbled streets until we came to a bakery.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4OGaOQGPO
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL00lUHLgl2
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicfhLefjcx
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzysFVMiDAV
I barged in, under the swinging sign of a loaf of bread. My bulky body made a small room feel even smaller: counter with several loaves; bare planks for floors; whitewashed walls; back room with an aroma of newly baked bread that made my mouth water.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1IQWgPRjO
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQnYfoATwZ
A boy, about ten years old, was sweeping dust. His mouth dropped open. A thin woman behind the counter looked at me with pure horror, then said quietly, 'Miya bless me!'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Qz8chPKj3
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWahER3Ubo7
'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZLtnKDnr7
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAWxAMh3Hp
No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BlDM68Tix
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUuLrBZSxp
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmuQKWaAcv
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWDUY4FCjN
Feeling impatient, I tried to strum my thick fingers on the wooden counter top, but couldn't, they just thumped down in a group. My crappy Dexterity? Or simply lack of practice with this body?461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzffYWJHnT6
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHK44Y9GZFp
At last the guards returned, holding the woman between them. She was clearly terrified and I would have said something comforting, except that Carlena wanted me to stay in character.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPqaJYUnCU
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpbtMgQjbD
'You have a task?' I asked.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOiXufhCqf
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'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kc5fE0dDk
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVoykbKzli
I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8UxEvr0Ob
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKavTK4atT
'Give it to me again.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgUC844eI0
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNejEHra1J9
'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnAa1rsMHI
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BQwWvb5wq
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4j7SA15cUd
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cDNFenbiu
But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaaqRwm1sC
461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRBogDLK74
Exasperated and not wanting to cause the baker to suffer any further, I strode back outside, took a second to orientate myself, and set off back toward the keep. Levelling up was going to require a rethink.
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